Create New Pipeline by Researching and Reaching Out: Nick Cegelski

If you're searching for a no-nonsense approach to sales that even includes real-life tactics that have proven to win deals, look no further than the advice of Nick Cegelski. He is the Founder and host of 30 Minutes to President’s Club, a podcast where he and Armand Farrokh provide actionable sales tips and strategies as they interview other sales professionals. When Cegelski is away from the mic, he serves as an enterprise account executive at a legal technology company where he sells software to lawyers. A former wrestler and current collegiate wrestling coach, to this day, he upholds some of the fundamentals he learned during his time participating in the sport, such as the importance of discipline.

Tell Us About Your Background in Sales

With a professional background in marketing, public relations, and sales, Cegelski has the varied experience that includes working domestically and internationally alongside others with a passion for the industry. Discipline also comes into play in his professional life, as he is constantly learning and developing his abilities to remain successful in his field. 

Cegelski is learning to level up just as much as his many listeners. The demand for this kind of content is definitely there. With between 75,000 and 90,000 downloads monthly, he views the podcast conversations as an opportunity to pick the brains of people punching above his weight. He learns sales tactics while also introducing these practices to his audience.

What is the Goal of 30 Seconds to President’s Club?

Practicality is paramount to the purpose of the 30 Minutes to President’s Club podcast. Cegelski strives to deliver actionable advice to people looking to improve their skills and achieve their sales goals. He says his content is exclusive to what salespeople can act on the same day. This driving desire and delivery of content that addresses the needs of his audience could point to the source of success for the Los Angeles-based host and sales professional.

What Motivates You as You Grow in Your Expertise?

Cegelski says he is fascinated by the psychological aspect of sales and how language changes can make a difference when it comes to deals. Understanding psychology is a way to improve your impact as a seller. Cegelski says, "As you get better at understanding psychology, it can trickle into your personal life." 

Not only is psychology an effective tie-in to sales. Wrestling also comes into play when revisiting the topic of discipline, as mentioned earlier. “If you want to be a great salesperson, you have to be disciplined.” Couple this characteristic with hard work, and you have an equation for success. For Cegelski, success comes down to focusing on the "inputs" or the things you can control rather than on the outcome – something you cannot control. He suggests narrowing your focus to the things you have agency over.

How Does the Sales Industry Differ in Other Parts of the World?

Cegelski spent time working overseas and had the opportunity to speak at an event while there. He worked in European cities, including Berlin, Prague, Rostov, and Warsaw. He observed that the formality and relationship aspect of sales differs from that of the industry in the United States. He describes the approach to sales that he saw while in Europe as "tribal," with clients preferring that you have existing relationships with other business owners they know. From the sales rep's point of view, he did find that he had to seek out people willing to help him level up in his work. While he viewed his peers as invested in the craft of sales and talented individuals, the amount of success one gains in the field seemed to be more of a choice than the competitive nature it can take on in an American setting. 

A first-time attendee at the latest Dreamforce conference, Nick has spoken at and graced the rooms of many legal tech conferences due to his work as an account executive. For sales reps attending conferences, Cegelski's advice is to maximize your time with potential clients by scheduling a one-on-one time that allows you to have a substantial conversation instead of the often rushed nature of meeting someone and attempting to gain their interest at a booth.

How Should You Approach Your Sales Day?

Much like the advantages of maximizing time with a potential client at a conference, learning how to run your sales day in the most efficient way can lead to more value in your work. Two areas of focus Cegelski points to are creating new pipelines by researching and reaching out to prospects and advancing current pipelines. This can include moving deals along and closing them or removing any pipelines that are not advancing. 

With all these factors in mind, Nick Cegelski strikes a balance between curious learner and industry authority. Connect with Nick via LinkedIn and gain value by listening to his podcast.